Date:         Fri, 31 Aug 2012 00:35:19 -0400
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Anyone use this Heater for their Vanagon?
Comments: To: Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <503FFF6B.9050106@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 08:03 PM 8/30/2012, Rocket J Squirrel wrote:
>So -- no open window. Woke up later, in the dark, confused, nauseated,
>felt horrible. Saw that the heater was still glowing, opened the door,
>killed the heater. Within moments I was feeling better; let the place
>fill with sweet, sweet O2 and let the excess CO2 wash out; and went back
>to bed. If I hadn't woken when I did, I might never have.

You had a close call -- with CO, not CO2.  Carbon monoxide has the
nasty property of being 95 times more attractive to hemoglobin than
oxygen is, and it sneaks up on you.  You were probably bright
cherry-red in places, since that's the color of carboxyhemoglobin.

This is why the Mr. Heater Buddy heaters have low-oxygen shutoffs --
not because you're running short of oxygen to breathe, but because
the mixture is richening to where they're starting to produce excess monoxide.

If the Northstar or any other non-vented heater does not have a
low-oxygen shutoff I'd count it as a serious point against it.  And
of course a monoxide detector that screams good and loud is a good
thing as well.

The poptop skylight gives a wonderful chimney effect.

Yours,
David